The Notes
by Naitriab
Summary: A sequel to my previous story on the list. I'd recomend you read that one first. Basically someone has the leagues secrets and they have to find them. rated PG so I can play later. COMPLETE. Third part of series should be up in a week or so.
1. A warning

All characters are the property of their respective authors with one or two exceptions.  
  
I would advise anyone to read 'on the list' before this one to explain a bit of background and also where the hell Jekyll has gone.  
  
This is set about 6 months after 'On the List'  
  
Hope you enjoy and remember to review.  
  
If it is a bit slow being posted I am doing an SG1 story at the same time. Aren't I a busy girl. :-)  
  
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The Nautilus - 6 months after Jekyll and Zu have left the ship.  
  
Skinner was pacing about the ship he was bored, he'd got fed up with trying to sneak into Mina's room a couple of months earlier especially as Tom was often there now. As much as he hated to admit it he'd welcome anybody as a distraction. There was nothing for the league to do at the moment, there was still somebody out there who was trying to kill them but since Jennifer Daniels some months earlier there had been nothing. He hadn't heard anything form his friend Henry Jekyll either, if Nemo had heard anything from his daughter then he was keeping very quiet about it. Skinner was in fact seriously thinking about going to read in the library for nothing other than the novalty value that it offered. They were two days sail away from England so he might go and find Nemo and ask if Nemo would put him ashore so he could go and see Henry.  
  
Mina carefully measured the chemical into a test tube ignoring the distracting presance of Tom Sawyer in the chair nearby. She wasn't sure yet whether she wished he saty away or not. When the Nautilus was on the surface he went and practiced his shooting, not that he needed much practice now, but the rest of the time he was sitting in her room either watching her or engrossed in some meaningless task that he could do in his own room. She wasn't going to push him away though as after he had acussed her of being unfeeling she had tried to prove to him that she wasn't.  
  
Nemo stood at the helm of his ship, he loved his ship she was his prize pocessession however he missed his daughter. Zu had been his pride and joy for the first ten years of her life, if they'd spent the next eleven years arguing then that was in the past and at least they had parted on good terms. He had just started to get to know his daughter as an adult when someone had come between them with a claim on her affections as powerful as the one between Zu and her father. He hadn't heard from Zu in the six months since she'd left, for all Nemo knew she could be married by now or even pregnant. Nemo wasn't sure whether he wanted to be a grandfather but at last conceeded the notion that he would like to see as he had adored his children when they had started growing up. As though his wishing summoned a message the machine which recieved morse code on a special frequency came into life and tapped out a message which was converted into English.  
  
"The secret is out. Conseil" Nemo read out before swearing in his native indian and hitting a button which activated a bell in the leagues quarters and would cause them to gather in the library. Knowing that it would take them a few minutes to gather Nemo sent a return message to Conseil before hurrying to the library his metal toed boots making a ringing noise on the steel floor.  
  
  
  
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The library  
  
Skinner was curled up in a arm chair with a book, he wasn't sure which was the most surprising that he was reading or that he found the book interesting, his glasses were in a pocket of the black coat he was wearing. He looked fairly startling therefore dressed in a black coat with white makeup on his face with holes where his eyes should be. He was engrossed in the book when the door opened suddenly revealing Mina and Tom both of who looked fairly hurried.  
  
"What's wrong?" Skinner asked  
  
"Didn't you hear the bell?" Mina asked.  
  
"I've been in here for the last 20 minutes." Skinner said. At that moment Tom saw the book in his friends hand and began to laugh.  
  
"Are .. you .. reading .. a .. book?" Tom managed to say at last trying to stop laughing  
  
"Yeah and wot of it?" Skinner asked pulling his glasses back on.  
  
"I can't imagine you as someone who enjoys reading." Mina said as Tom started laughing again.  
  
"I don't, but I am so bored that anythin' is a welcome distraction." Skinner explained as Nemo came into the room.  
  
"If you are bored Skinner then that is about to change. I have just recieved a message from Conseil to let me know that the secrets about my ship are on the loose." Nemo said  
  
"Who is Conseil? And how does he/she know about your ship?" Mina asked not recognising the name  
  
"Conseil was the servant of Professor Aronax who was a passenger on my ship some years ago. When they escaped from the ship, I made an effort to get back in contact with them to ensure that the Professor didn't publish the notes he had made about me and the ship. He promised me that he wouldn't say anything as did his servant and Ned Land who had accompanied them said he wouldn't yet. Something has obviously happened to cause that to change, I have sent a message back to Conseil and am waiting for a reply." Nemo said.  
  
"I heard about that," Tom said. "Professor Aronax was hired to help hunt down some sea monster a few years back. He disapeared then reapeared many hundreds of miles from where he had vannished. It was about 9 years ago I think."  
  
"Quite right." Nemo said. Skinner opened his mouth to say something when the door was opened by one of Nemo's many crewmen. None of the league could tell them apart, the only ones they had known were Ishmael and Zu both gone now.  
  
"Your message Captain" the man said then vannished again. Nemo read the note in silence.  
  
"What does it say Nemo?" Skinner asked determined to talk  
  
"Conseil tells me that, Aronax was attacked in his home and is ill. The notes he kept were stolen and no-one has any idea who took them."  
  
"We need to go and talk to this Professor soon." Tom said.  
  
"Who is going to go?" Skinner asked. "You can't Tom as you sound to American, I can't for obvious reasons, Nemo don't exactly fit in, Mina can't go on her own as it ain't right. We haven't got anyone we could send."  
  
"I could get in contact with Zu and ask her and Henry to go." Nemo suggested.  
  
"Henry is retired and Zu isn't one of us it isn't fair to ask them." Tom said.  
  
"There is no-one else. I'll get in contact with Zu and ask her." Nemo said without consulting the others knowing that eventually they would agree with him.  
  
"Fine go ahead then." Skinner muttered putting the book he had been reading back and stomping out the room.  
  
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There you go part one. I know it is short but I'm just setting the scene. If some of the details are slightly wrong then that is because my copy of 20,000 leagues is 30 miles away and not easy to read accordingly.   
  
I'll apologise to anyone who hoped that i'd got rid of Zu and Jekyll but as my last story dealt with them I need established characters in this one and they'll have to do till I can get the others going.  
  
Please review and let me know what you think. I'll try and get the next bit up soon. 


	2. Proposals

All characters are the property of their respective authors with one or two exceptions.  
  
I would advise anyone to read 'on the list' before this one to explain a bit of background and also where the hell Jekyll has gone.  
  
This is set about 6 months after 'On the List'  
  
Hope you enjoy and remember to review.  
  
If it is a bit slow being posted I am doing an SG1 story at the same time. Aren't I a busy girl. :-)  
  
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London 1902 - Home of Henry Jekyll  
  
"If you can stay off duty for another two weeks then your arm will be fine again. It's healing nicely." Henry Jekyll told his patient  
  
"Thank you doctor. I would have asked Doctor Watson but Holmes has dragged him off somewhere."   
  
"It's no problem. I'm a doctor and supposed to treat people. Just try not to fall down too many stairs in the future."  
  
"I didn't mean to fall down those."  
  
"If you come back and see me in two weeks then I'll check your arm again and then you should be able to go back to work."  
  
"I will and thank you again."  
  
Jekyll shock hands with his patient and let him out the door leaving it slightly ajar after the patient had left. He packed up his kit and pulled his jacket on, he stopped on hearing voices.  
  
"Good Evening Inspector Lastrade, is the arm healing alright?" a woman asked, Jekyll couldn't stop the smile spreading across his face at the sound of the womans voice.  
  
"Fairly well Miss." Lastrade replied  
  
"I'm glad, it'll be a comfort knowing that one of Londons best inspectors is back on the streets again after Mr Holmes has vannished."  
  
"Thank you. I'll be off then." Lastrade said. Jekyll heard the front door open and close again. There was the sound of footsteps along the passage then the door was opened. The young woman who stood in the doorway was dressed in ankle length blue skirt and matching jacket, with a white blouse and black ankle boots. Something which she assured him was a hat was pinned to the top of her head and a mass of black hair was pinned underneath it.  
  
"Hello Henry." she said taking the hat off and putting it on the table.   
  
"Hello Zu. How was the excursion with Miss Smith?"  
  
"It was grand. She was showing me the dress that she is having made for her wedding in two months time. Do you remember me telling you about Elizabeth Murray her new pupil?"  
  
"Vaguely"  
  
"Aparantly the child is some kind of genius when it comes to science. Violet is thinking about sending her somewhere else for special trainning." Zu said as she pulled out the pins holding her hair in place and removing the jacket as well.  
  
"Good look to the girl. I don't imagine that Violet will have an easy time of it, as science is still very much a mans area." Henry said absently.  
  
"Do you have any more patients today?"  
  
"No. I should only have one tomorrow, Mr and Mrs Malone are bringing their son Edward for a check up fairly early before they return to America."  
  
"We were lucky in this practice weren't we?"  
  
"Very. I am glad that Dr Watson had achieved enouugh fame through his friendship with Holmes to need someone else to help with his practice."  
  
"You don't regret leaving then?" Zu asked. She was never happy with Henry's answer that he was as if she hadn't helped to cure him of Hyde then he would still be a member of the league.  
  
"Why would I regret leaving? I have a practice and you." Henry replied.  
  
"You don't have me Henry Jekyll. I tolerate you for now." Zu retorted.  
  
"How long for?" he asked with a smile knowing this was an old game between them.  
  
"I don't know, until I get a better offer." She told him. He was fiddling with his watch again a habit she had almost broken him of after living with him for 6 months.  
  
"I .. I don't know whether this will count as a good offer or not but .. would you marry me? You don't have to answer now, I don't have much to offer you apart from a checkered past, a small doctors practice and all my love." Henry said nervously. Zu was silent for a moment. She hadn't expected him to offer to marry her, they had lived together for 6 months and while Henry was too much of a gentleman to take advantage of the arrangement Zu had wondered what would happen in the future. She loved Henry with all her heart but she wasn't sure whether marriage was what she wanted, she looked at him and saw the expression on his face, that of a dog who expects to be kicked down and knew what she had to say.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Pardon?" He asked not believing he had heard her say 'yes'.  
  
"Yes I will marry you Henry Jekyll." Zu said smiling at him. He burst out laughing and crossed the room to her. He swung her round a few times laughing delightedly before kissing her. He put her down and fished in one of his pockets and brought a ring out. He slipped it on her finger, Zu looked down at her hand, the ring was a silver band with a deep purple amathest on it.  
  
"It belonged to my mother, she wanted me to give it my wife should I ever get one." Henry explained.  
  
"It's beautiful." Zu said  
  
"Not as beautiful as you are." he said honestly. Zu blushed. She was saved from answering by the sound of the morse code machine her father had sent her going off.  
  
"Now what?" Zu asked crossly before hurrying out the room as fast as the tight skirt would allow. Henry hesitated a few moments before following her, Zu was reading a smal piece of paper and muttering to herself.  
  
"Is it bad news?" Henry asked.  
  
"My father and our friends are joining us in two days. They have a proposal for us." Zu said obviously annoyed.  
  
"It might not be too bad. Your father might be missing you." he told her trying to placate her rising temper.  
  
"I don't mind them. It's the proposal I don't like the sound of."  
  
"Forget about them for now. How about I take you out tonight? We need to do something to celebrate our engagement." Henry said drawing her back on to more plesant topics.  
  
"Well there is this restaurant that I have been hearing good things about." Zu said willing to indulge him.  
  
"Perfect, go and get changed then and we can go out." Henry said. Zu left the room and after a minute Henry followed her trying to ignore a warnning being shouted by an inner voice.  
  
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There you go bit two. Could anybody who reads this work out where the characters I mention are from just to see how well you people know your books. Zu is the only one not from classic fiction, there are three to work out.  
  
Next bit should be up in a few days when the league try to draw Jekyll and his fiance back into their old lives. 


	3. Decisions

All characters are the property of their respective authors with one or two exceptions.  
  
I would advise anyone to read 'on the list' before this one to explain a bit of background and also where the hell Jekyll has gone.  
  
This is set about 6 months after 'On the List'  
  
Hope you enjoy and remember to review.  
  
If it is a bit slow being posted I am doing an SG1 story at the same time. Aren't I a busy girl. :-)  
  
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Two days later ...  
  
Henry and Zu had set out the library to recieve the league and were both very nervous, Zu wasn't sure what her father was going to say about her engaement to Henry and Henry was imagining what Nemo would do to him on finding out that they were engaged. Finally there was a knock on the door and both hurried to open it.   
  
"Henry good to see you mate" Skinner said walking in the door first.  
  
"It is good to see you as well." Henry said before Tom and Mina pushed Skinner out the way.  
  
"How are you Zu?" Mina asked while Tom enthusiastically greated the doctor.  
  
"I'm fine. Promise me that you don't want Henry to do anything dangerous." Zu said quietly  
  
"I'll try and ensure that doesn't happen." Mina said before steering the men up the hall leaving Zu and her father alone for a short while.  
  
"Hello father."  
  
"You look well Zu I presume that Jekyll has been looking after you." Nemo said  
  
"He has. I have been very happy here father and I wish to thank you for not preventing me from leaving with him."  
  
"I could not stop you. I could tell that your heart belongs with him as it has not with me for many years."  
  
"That's not true I do love you father. It may have taken me a while to realise that but I do." Zu said surprised that her father didn't realise that she cared about him.  
  
"I do not think that you realise how much that pleases me." Nemo said with something very close to a tear in his eye.  
  
"Come we need to meet with the rest I'm sure you have much to tell us." Zu said before they became too sentimetal. Nemo and his daughter joined the other four in the library where Henry was smiling at Toms story of Skinner reading a book.  
  
"Thank you for looking after my daughter Jekyll." Nemo said crossing the room to the younger man.  
  
"I don't know if Zu told you but we are engaged sir. So I hope to be able to look after her for many years." Henry said without sounding at all nervous.  
  
"Congratulations" Tom and Skinner said at the same time crowding round Henry to thump him on the back. Mina meanwhile was examining Zu's ring leaving Nemo on his own.  
  
"You don't mind do you father?" Zu said realising he hadn't joined in the congratulating.  
  
"No. I am surprised you didn't tell me before this but not upset."  
  
"I only proposed two days ago so we thought we'd leave it as a surprise." Jekyll said standing behind Zu.  
  
"It is certainly that." Nemo said shaking Jekylls hand noticing the look of relief that crossed the doctors face when Nemo gave his consent.  
  
"Why are you here then?" Zu asked  
  
"We need your help." Tom said  
  
"I'm retired and anyway I can access Hyde any more so am of no use to you anymore." Jekyll said  
  
"We don't need Hyde we just need you and Zu. All you have to do is cross the channel in the Nautilus and go and speak to a professor Aronax in Paris." Mina said  
  
"Why can't one of you do it?" Zu demanded not wanting to give up the life that they'd started  
  
"None of us looks normal enough so it's going to have to be you and Henry." Nemo said gently.  
  
"Neither Zu or I can decide at the drop of a hat. We would be pleased to offer you accomadation if you desire it for tonight and we will give you a decision in the morning." the Doctor said firmly.  
  
"That's fine Henry" Mina said before any of the men could say otherwise.  
  
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Later that night ...  
  
"Goodnight father" Zu said as she left the library with Mina and Henry.  
  
"Goodnight Zu" he replied settling into a chair, Skinner was curled up another chair while Tom was stretched out on the sofa. The other three went up the stairs to Zu and the doctors rooms.  
  
"I'll come and speak to you in a while." Zu said kissing Henry tenderly.  
  
"Ok" he replied going into his room and closing the door. With Mina following she went into the next room.  
  
"You really love Henry don't you" Mina said sadly  
  
"I can't imagine being with anyone else." Zu replied going behind a screen to change.  
  
"He is very happy now and I wish that we didn't have to drag him away from the life he obviously enjoys." Mina said sitting on the bed.  
  
"We haven't said that we'll help yet." Zu pointed out emerging from behind the screen dressed in a long whit nightdress. She hung up the dress she had been wearing a pulled a robe on over the top.  
  
"I think you will." Mina said with a smile as the younger woman crossed to brush her hair.  
  
"You can have my bed if you want, I expect that Henry and I will be talking for a long time so I'll probably go to sleep in his room." Zu said with a grin as she left the room. Mina couldn't say anything to that so composed herself to sleep and dreamt of a time when she had been that young and in love. What surprised her was that it wasn't the face of Jonathon Harker that she saw instead it was Tom's face.  
  
Zu knocked on Henry's door before opening it. He was sitting in a chair by the window in his shirt and trousers.  
  
"Henry" she called softly. He jumped and turnned round to face her.  
  
"I'm sorry, I was miles away." He said with a smile getting to his feet.  
  
"Do you want to go with them to France?" Zu asked getting straight to the point  
  
"I think that we should. They have helped me, not as much as you have but they have been there for me. I think I owe it to them to help." Henry said  
  
"I though you would say that we should. I'll go with you." Zu said  
  
"I can't expect you to. Anyway a couple on their honeymoon calling in to see an old friend of the family won't raise as many questions as a London doctor going all the way to Paris to see a stranger." Zu pointed out  
  
"That's easy enough to remedy. There is a registary office just up the road. We can be married there in the morning." Zu said unsure how Henry would take that idea. He was shocked that was obvious, she could tell that he was thinking about the idea however and finding that it did present some good points.  
  
"Do you think that us getting married so soon is a good idea?" Henry asked   
  
"Are you telling me that you have cold feet?" Zu asked  
  
"No, no but I don't think it is a good idea to ruch into this type of thing." Henry said  
  
"We have known each other for six months, don't try to say we know nothing about each other as we have the rest of our lives for that." Zu told him  
  
"What will your father say?"  
  
"I think he will be relieved as then he doesn't have to worry about you stepping over boundaries." Zu said  
  
"I haven't got a ring to give you."  
  
"Get one then before we go. We have enough people for witnesses so why wait?" Zu asked a stuborn look on her face.  
  
"Fine, fine. If you regret it later than on your head be it." Henry told her trying very hard to hide an ear to ear grin at the thought of being married to Zu before the following night.  
  
"Are you smiling Henry?" Zu asked  
  
"No."  
  
"You are." She said reaching over to tickle him, he couldn't hide the grin any longer at her antics and he pulled her close to him laughing.  
  
"Much better, at least you look happy now." Zu said from her position on his lap.  
  
"You don't however." Henry said in a mock serious tone a proceded to kiss her.  
  
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The following morning ...  
  
"Where is Henry?" Skinner asked Zu on entering the breakfast room  
  
"He had to go and buy a few things." Zu replied keeping her face hidden  
  
"What is going on?" Skinner demanded.  
  
"You'll find out later." Zu said   
  
"Good morning Zu" Tom said entering the room yawning his straw blonde hair tousled as though he hadn't brushed it yet. Behind him were Mina and Nemo both looking as though they had slept well then spent hours getting dressed.  
  
"Good morning everybody." Henry said entering the room from another door. His checks were slightly redened from the cool wind outside and his brown hair was slightly untidy. Zu noticed the state of his hair a smoothed it down.  
  
"Have the pair of you decided whether you will help us?" Nemo asked  
  
"We will. However we have one thing to do first which we need your help for." Henry said  
  
"Certainly." Skinner promised  
  
"Henry and I wish to be married before we leave and we would like you all to be witnesses." Zu said  
  
"Not a big believer in long engagements then." Tom noted  
  
"It was Zu's idea thinking it would be more believable if we just happened to call in on an old friend while on our honeymoon." Henry said  
  
"Couldn't you lie about that?" Skinner asked  
  
"No. This is all we are going to do for you anyway so we can travel for a short while afterwards." Henry said  
  
"I see that you have already made up your minds, I will not stand in your way." Nemo said.  
  
"Thank you sir." Jekyll said, Zu said nothing but her smile spoke volumes.  
  
"Shall we have breakfast now that's settled?" Skinner suggested  
  
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The Nautilus 6 hours later ...  
  
The wedding of his only child had taken longer than he'd have though possible and so Nemo had decided to move the Nautilus up north and not go to France till the following day. It was only fair to give Jekyll and Zu one night together of peace. Skinner was already locked up in his room so he couldn't creep around and disturb everything, Zu and Jekyll were in their room and hadn't emerged since they'd gone in there and that had been two hours earlier.  
  
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"Are you happy Henry?" Zu asked looking up at her husband.  
  
"More than you can imagine" Henry said resting his head on her hair.  
  
"I can imagine." Zu said looking out the windiw at the fish darting past and remembering how she'd felt when she had heard that Henry was alive not dead.  
  
"I'm surprised that Skinner hasn't tried to get in here." Henry said at length  
  
"Henry shush." Zu said kissing him for the first time since they'd come on the ship. The last two hours had been not stop talking and her throat was starting to hurt. Henry began to guide Zu back to the bed as he kissed her, however it came as a surprise when he walked into it and fell backwards dragging her with him. He looked at her from his position on his back and watched her laugh. He was very happy now that he had everything he wanted  
  
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There you go part three I apologise now for all the fluff in the last two sections but it had to be done at some point, I promise that it'll be the last for now.  
  
What do you think anyway I apologise to anyone who isn't interested in Henry and Zu but I am and as it is my fic I can have them in when I want. They won't be in in for much longer so just bear with me alright and we'll get there.  
  
Reviews are much apreciated and try my other story 'another world' on the SG1 page.  
  
Naitriab 


	4. Aronax, Ned and Consiel

All characters are the property of their respective authors with one or two exceptions.  
  
I apologise once again for the fluff in the last two chapters, it is over for now or at least till I get my teeth into the next couple.  
  
As I'm not doing background stories for any characters who pop up I'll leave it up to you to read the books if you haven't already. All the new characters in this section come from 20,000 leagues, read it it is a good book.  
  
Once more I ask for patience as I am still struggling with the last of the three killer essays I was moaning about in my last fic and need to get that finnished. Please read my Stargate fic and review as that is much more difficult to write than this one. :-(  
  
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Paris the next day ...  
  
"I have never visited Paris before." Zu told her husband as they walked through the streets,  
  
"I spent quite a few years here, I don't really want to remember them though." Henry said with a shudder, remember vaguely things that he had done while Edward Hyde.  
  
"Cheer up mate you are supposed to be a newly wed." Skinner said from nearby. He had insisted on coming with them to keep an eye on things while they were in the Professors office.  
  
"I am happy." Henry replied quietly shooting his wife a smile. She gave him one in reply the expressions on their faces was one that Skinner called 'extra silly' though he cared about his friends too much for them to hear him say that.  
  
"Come on we need to see this friend of yours then we can get on." Zu said  
  
"Quite right." Henry said pulling himself together then set out for the area where professor Aronax lived. The house they eventually arrived at was fairly small,  
  
"I'll wait out here." Skinner said  
  
"Don't do anything stupid." Henry warned  
  
"Who do you think I am? I never do anything stupid do I" Skinner said acting hurt  
  
"Will you go already." Zu said glaring at where his voice had come from. Skinner promptly shut up. Henry knocked on the door which was eventually opened by man with blonde hair and a deeply lined face. His age could have been any where from 30 to 50 and neither Zu or Henry were willing to guess which one it was nearest to.  
  
"Can I help you?" he asked suspiciously   
  
"Is this the home of Professor Aronax?" Henry asked in french.  
  
"Yes and you are?" The other replied.  
  
"I am Doctor Jekyll and this is my wife. Her father is an old friend of Professor Aronax and as we are in Paris for a few days thought we should call in on him."   
  
"I'll see if he wants to speak to you" the stranger said before clossing the door in their faces.  
  
"Friendly isn't he." Zu muttered  
  
"very." Henry replied. The door opened again to reveal a younger looking main who was dressed so smartly it appeared painful.  
  
"You are Dr Jekyll?" The new man asked  
  
"Yes."  
  
"I am Conseil and I wish to apologise for the behaviour of Ned Land he is Canadian and can't help it." the small man said, there was a snort from behind the door as   
  
"No apology needed. May my wife and I see the Professor?" Henry asked  
  
"Certainly if you would come in." Conseil said. Henry and Zu entered the house to find that the canadian was just behind the door.  
  
"I'll take them up Conseil." Ned said as Henry and Zu removed the coats they were wearing.  
  
"Thank you Ned." Conseil said taking the two guests coats to hang up. Zu and Henry followed the canadian as he went up the stairs.  
  
"Can you try and not surprise him too much as he is still recovering from the attack." Ned said  
  
"Was he hurt?" Henry asked  
  
"A bit."  
  
"Do you want me to take a look at him?" Henry asked.  
  
"He's seen a doctor." Ned said  
  
"Has he any idea who it was that attcked him?" Zu asked in flawless french which caused Henry to stare at her in surprise as he had no idea that she spoke french.  
  
"None Mrs Jekyll." Ned said. He opened a door and went in motioning Henry and Zu to stay outside. After a few minutes of quiet conversation that neither Henry or Zu could hear Ned reappeared and motioned them in. He then left the room and clossed the door behind him leaving Zu and Henry with a very slim man in his late 30s with his arm in a sling.  
  
"You are Doctor and Mrs Jekyll then" he said in a soft voice  
  
"Yes and I presume that you are Professor Aronax." Henry said   
  
"You presume correctly Doctor."  
  
"I am sorry for the intrusion Professor but my father was a friend of yours and as Henry and I were in the area I thought it only polite that we called in on you." Zu said   
  
"Who is your father?" the Professor asked  
  
"A captain. You travelled with him for some time before leaving his company near Norway. It was the documents detailing your stay with him that were stolen was it not." Zu said  
  
"You are his daughter?" The Professor asked surprised.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"I always thought that his family were dead." Aronax said surprised  
  
"We don't advertise our relationship very often." Zu said with a wry twist to her mouth  
  
"I can imagine. He wasn't always the easiest person to get on with."  
  
"Neither am I." Zu said  
  
"Was it you who asked Conseil to contact Captain Nemo?" Henry asked  
  
"Yes I thought it best he knew especially after he mentioned being part of some secret service for the British Empire." Aronax said  
  
"Why would a french man want anything to do with that?" Henry asked intrigued  
  
"I don't but I promised my friend that I would let nothing happen to my notes and now that something has I felt honour bound to inform an old friend of that happening." Aronax said  
  
"Why did you tell that pirate?" Ned demanded storming in at that moment.  
  
"Why were you listening at my door?" Aronax replied calmly  
  
"I don't trust these two especially her if she's Nemos daughter." Ned said grabbing hold of Zu's arm.  
  
"Let go of my wife." Henry said his voice low and dangerous.  
  
"Henry don't worry." Zu said twisting her arm out or the canadians grip. "In future don't touch me without asking first" she told Ned who looked surprised that he no longer had hold of her.  
  
"Ned calm down." Aronax said  
  
"Why should I? You have let the child of Nemo into this house and some strange man who may or may not be her husband and is most likely some other pirate are you asking to be attacked again?" Ned raged   
  
"I may be my fathers daughter but I have not harmed any body in this house nor do I mean to. As for my husband he is a doctor from London and his joint owner of a practice with Dr Watson who you may have heard of." Zu said her temper starting to flair up.  
  
"Ned calm down I doubt that the Jekyll's are here to hurt me." Aronax said he didn't raise his voice but Ned shut up all the same.  
  
At that moment a wild eyed Conseil entered the room,  
  
"Henry you lot need to get out of 'ere" Skinners voice said from behind Conseil  
  
"What's wrong?" Henry demanded.  
  
"Who's talking?" Ned asked  
  
"A friend of ours called Skinner, he's invisable." Zu said  
  
"There's a group of people just arriving and they don't look like they are here for fun." Skinner was telling Henry.  
  
"Take Zu and the Professor back to the ship." Henry said.  
  
"I'm not going anywhere Henry Jekyll." Zu said angrily.  
  
"Zu please." Henry pleaded before seeing the stubborn look on his wifes face a knowing that she wasn't going to go anywhere.  
  
"Professor will you go?" Consil asked.  
  
"No I will not run from these people." Aronax said.  
  
"Skinner don't take part in the fight. Stay to one side so that you can tell my father and the rest of the league what has happened." Zu said. Henry looked at her seeing that she didn't expect any of them to make it back to report.  
  
"Yes Zu." Skinner said sighing knowing that she was right.  
  
From downstairs there was the sound of a window breaking,  
  
"Here they come." Henry said  
  
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There you go. Hope you enjoyed it. I'll try and post the fourth bit soon if I get enough feedback letting me know that people are still interested in Tom, Mina and the rest who will play a bigger part now that Henry and Zu are leaving.  
  
Naitriab 


	5. The battle

All characters are the property of their respective authors with one or two exceptions.  
  
Once more I ask for patience as I am still struggling with the last of the three killer essays I was moaning about in my last fic and need to get that finnished. Please read my Stargate fic and review as that is much more difficult to write than this one. :-(  
  
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Skinner stood against the wall and watched what was going on with the other five occupants, this was going to be one of the hardest things he had ever done in his relatively short life. He was going to stand there while his firends Henry and Zu Jekyll were attacked. He understood what Zu was saying that someone had to alive at the end to tell Nemo what had happened to them and as he was invisable he was the best candidate.  
  
"Is there a knife in here?" Zu asked calmly.  
  
"I've got one" Ned said producing it from a pocket  
  
"May I borrow it please?" Zu asked, after looking at her warily for a minute Ned passed it over. Zu proceeded to slit the side of her skirt up to well above her knee. "Thank you." she handed the knife back to Ned who looked confused.  
  
"Why did you do that?" Aronax asked  
  
"I can't fight properly in a tight skirt." Zu said.  
  
"You can fight?" Conseil asked his face slightly green at the though of having to hurt someone.  
  
"My wife is an excellent fighter." Henry said.  
  
"Oh." Conseil said.   
  
Henry and Zu drew slightly apart from the other three  
  
"Are you sure you won't go with Skinner?" Henry asked  
  
"Possitive, till death do us part remember." Zu said with a grin.  
  
"I wish I still had Edward at times." Henry said  
  
"Don't say that. You don't need Edward you have me now."  
  
"Some honeymoon this has turnned out to be." Henry said  
  
"I knew what it was going to be like as soon as I stepped on my fathers ship 7 months ago, I wouldn't change a thing." Zu said.  
  
"If we live through this where do you want to go for the next part of our trip?" Henry said.  
  
"Somewhere where they have never heard of the League." Zu said.  
  
"I'll see what I can do." Henry promised before kissing her desparately as though she was going to vanish from in front of him.   
  
"Here they come" Ned said from a position near the door. Zu tore herself away from her husband and went to stand on one side of the door while Ned stood on the other.  
  
"Sorry for what I said earlier." Ned said looking at Zu  
  
"Think nothing of it." Zu said.  
  
"Remember the orders men." A voice said from the stairs, despite speaking in english there was an accent to the words which convinced Zu that the speaker wasn't english.  
  
"Don't leave the door." Zu warnned.  
  
"Don't treat me like a fool." Ned replied. He glanced round the door frame and saw several figures emerge at the top of the stairs. They were dressed in black from head to toe and all carried guns.  
  
"In there." the man who was in charge said gesturing at the room Zu and the rest were in.  
  
Skinner watched as Zu and Ned tensed up as the first two men came through the door, Ned clubbed one to the floor, Zu kicked the other one on the knee shatering the bone then punching him the nose breaking it and putting him out the fight. He saw the impressed look that Ned gave her before the next pair came through the door. Skinner couldn't tell what was being shouted outside the door but whatever it was enough to get thr number of men coming through the door to increase drastically. There was no way that the pair of them could deal with. Henry edged forward to help and Skinner was surprised to see that his friend could fight. Not as well as Zu and Ned but effectively all the same. Aronax and Conseil stood at the back of the room neither wanted to take part in the fight taking place in front of them.  
  
"Conseil look out." Henry shouted, Skinner looked to see where the threat was, there was the sound of a gun shot, one of the attackers had got a clean shot, Conseil looked at his white shirt and the red mark on it.  
  
"Professor?" Conseil asked half turnning to his friend before sinking to the floor. Aronax knelt by him and held his hand over the wound to try and stop the bleeding. Henry managed to extracate himself from the fight and ran to Conseil's side.  
  
Skinner could no longer see Ned Land and hadn't been able to for a few minutes, Zu was trying her best but as the only one still fighting she didn't have a chance. There was the sound of another shot, though it was a scientific impossiblity to Skinner time seemed to stop, the press of bodies around Zu opened to reveal her holding her side, Henry looked at her, getting to his feet he ran towards her before someone clubed him on the head and he sank to the floor.  
  
"Take those two." the leader said gesturing to Henry and Zu, "bring the professor." The men picked up Zu and Henry and dragged the Professor out the room leaving Skinner with the dead.  
  
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There you go. I promise that you won't see Henry again until the end now and as to Zu well you never know.  
  
Enjoy and please review. 


	6. Skinner explains

All characters are the property of their respective authors.  
  
Once more I ask for patience as I am still struggling with the last of the three killer essays I was moaning about in my last fic and need to get that finnished. Please read my Stargate fic and review as that is much more difficult to write than this one. :-(  
  
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The Nautilus ...  
  
Tom and Mina stood side by side in the library watching as Nemo paced backwards and forwards as he had been for the last hour. They could understand how worried he was about his daughter, it was true though Henry, Zu and Skinner should have been back by now. The door opened slowly and a figure all in black came in slowly supporting someone else on one arm.  
  
"Mina luv could you take a look at him, I don't think he is in too good a shape." Skinner said lowering the other figure to a seat where they slumped.  
  
"What has happened? Where are my daughter and Jekyll?" Nemo asked crossing to Skinner.  
  
"I don't know. They were talking to the prof. when several car loads of men pulled up. I went in to warn them. Henry tried to send Zu and the prof back with me but both refused to go. There was a fight and Zu and Henry were taken prisoner as well as the prof. Me and my mate there were the only two left alive." Skinner said passing over the fact that Zu had been shot.  
  
"Did you try to help them?" Nemo asked  
  
"Zu ordered me not to so I could report back to you." Skinner said.  
  
"Were they alright when they were taken?" Tom asked. Skinner pulled a face at him as that was the one question he hadn't wanted to answer.  
  
"Henry had been knocked unconcious." Skinner said.  
  
"What about my daughter?" Nemo said reaching out and shaking Skinner.  
  
"Easy mate." Skinner said. "Zu was shot. She wasn't too badly hurt but they obviously saw her as too dangerous so she had to be dealt with in a more decisive manner than Henry."   
  
"No." Nemo breathed sinking into a chair. "She can't be gone." Skinner and Tom exchanged looks neither being very good at comforting others.  
  
"She'll be fine. Henry is with her, he's a doctor and you know he won't let them do anything to her." Skinner told the older man.  
  
"That's true. I just wish I was with her. I can't loose a final child now."  
  
"She'll be fine." Tom said adding his sentiments to those of Skinner.  
  
"I think that the girl will be fine." A heavily accented voice said. The man that Skinner had brought in with him was sitting up now.  
  
"Mr Land! What are you doing here?" Nemo demanded getting to his feet.  
  
"I was with Aronax when we were attacked. I am no more pleased to see you than you are to see me." Ned said wishing he was anywhere but on the Nautilus again.  
  
"How did you survive the fight?" Tom asked seizing up the new man.  
  
"They left me for dead, then dragged your daughter, her husband and Aronax off." Ned said confiming what Skinner had already said.  
  
"Why Henry and Zu? They are of no use to them especially as Zu is injured." Mina wondered.  
  
Remember Jennifer Daniels? She said that there was a group out there. Wot if she was telling the truth? Maybe this group captured Henry because he was one of us?" Skinner asked. Mina, Tom and Nemo looked at him in shock as it was one of the few good ideas he had had in the entire time he had been with the group.  
  
"Amazing there is a brain there somewhere." Tom said giving Skinner a grin  
  
"Very funny. I can think y know. Just cos I don't very often don't mean anything!" Skinner said grumpily  
  
"That was a good idea." Mina told him.  
  
"Thanks Mina luv, I am usful to have around." Skinner said  
  
"Who is this Daniels woman?" Ned asked from his seat where he had been trying to understand the banter between Tom, Mina and Skinner.  
  
"Jennifer Daniels was a woman who was brought on board and who attacked us and almost succeded in killing Henry Jekyll. She claimed to be one of a group who were after us. We didn't manage to find out whether she was telling the truth or not and let it go at that. It could be that the people who attacked you were part of this group hence why they took Jekyll." Mina said  
  
"They don't know about Zu though, no-one does." Tom said  
  
"They could have been watching Henry and her for some time now and knew that they had been living together so could presume that she was connected to us." Mina told the American  
  
"Henry ain't going to be happy about that as he'd thought he got away from us." Skinner prophesised.  
  
"I'd be more worried about what Zu is going to say." Nemo said remembering his daughters quick temper.  
  
"Where should we start looking for them then?" Ned asked  
  
"we?"  
  
"I'm not gonna let you do this on your own, they have one of my friends as well. They killed another and I will come with you." Ned said  
  
"We don't have time to argue just let him come with us." Tom said  
  
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Bit six is done and bit seven is well on the way. I'm sorry that section was a bit dull but I needed to get Ned Land into the league for this story and show how the others reacted to what had happened.  
  
Can people please review as otherwise I may well feed Henry to the nearest shark. I know he has fans out there so pleaseeeeeeeeeeeee review. 


	7. Night time conferences

All characters are the property of their respective authors with the exception of Zu Jekyll and as she isn't in it at the moment she doesn't matter.  
  
I have now finnished my essays and can spend time on this as well as my SG1 fic. I plan on starting a couple more fics soon, one on LOTR and the other on The Lost World. I haven't finnished with LXG yet just having a set back while I try and work out what to do.  
  
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The library that night ...  
  
Skinner paced backwards and forwards dressed in his usual long black coat and white makeup. There was something familiar about the accents of the men who'd attacked Zu and Henry and he knew that if he thought about it for long enough he'd remember what it was. He wished that he had been able to take part in the fight if only to help his friends. He wished that he hadn't agreed to let Henry be drawn back into this as the man had had enough to deal with over the years. Zu didn't need this either as she was young, okay just a few years younger than Tom and Skinner but young all the same.  
  
The door opened quietly and Ned Land stood watching the other man pace up and down the room, of the men on the ship he seemed the strangest and Ned wasn't sure that he wanted an invisable man walking around at all times, then again the man had saved his life and Ned always repayed his debt.  
  
"Anything wrong?" Ned asked. The other man jumped not having heard Ned enter.  
  
"I didn't hear you." Skinner grumbled hurridly pulling on a pair of dark glasses to hide the holes in his face.  
  
"I'm used to walking quietly you find out all sorts of intersting pieces of information when you do." Ned said with a grin.  
  
"I know, it's even easier if you are invisable," Skinner said returnning the grin and knowing that for now he had an allie on the ship.  
  
"I can imagine how much fun that could be." Ned said  
  
"Makes it difficlut to treat me when I get injured though." Skinner said remembering the fun Henry had had treating the serious burns Skinner had recieved on the Leagues first outing.  
  
"What were you thinking about when I interupted you?" Ned asked  
  
"The accents of the men that attacked us seemed very familier. I just can't remember where I 'eard them before." Skinner said.  
  
"Good luck. I didn't notice." Ned said before leaving the room and Skinner alone with his thoughts.  
  
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Toms room.  
  
Tom Sawyer ran his hand through the unruly sandy brown hair again. He hated this why was it always someone else that these things happened to. He wished he knew what to do about Zu and Henry as the pair of them had helped the league when they hadn't needed to as well as being useful when they had been members. He hated himself for not being more use and wished he could do anything to take his mind off it. He knock on his door intruded into his thoughts and he went to open it. Mina Harker stood on the otherside of the door looking slightly unsure of herself which was very unusual.  
  
"Are you alright Mina?" Tom asked worridly.  
  
"I thought that you would be tormenting yourself again so I thought that I'd come and talk to you." Mina said entering Toms room.  
  
"Will you come in." Tom muttered before clossing the door  
  
"When was the last time that you tidied your room?" Mina asked reminding him of his Aunt  
  
"I'm not quite sure." Tom said  
  
"I think that you should tidy it Tom." Mina said  
  
"You didn't come here to talk about my room Mina. What can I do for you?" Tom said sighing  
  
"You blamed yourself for Allans death and knowing you you think that the capture of Henry and Zu was your fault as well." Mina said sitting on the edge of his desk as the ony clear space in the room that wasn't the bed.  
  
"No I didn't."  
  
"Don't lie to me Tom. You arn't very good at it." Mina said with a smile  
  
"Okay so I think that it is my fault. What do you suggest I do to stop believing that?"  
  
"I don't know. I'd just suggest that you find something else to think about when you start to balme yourself for everything." Mina said  
  
"Do you think I should take up chess or something like that then?" Tom asked bitterly  
  
"I doubt that you have the patience for chess." Mina said  
  
"I can't practice my shooting cos we are under water and there isn't anything else I'm good at." Tom said bitterly. Looking at his standing there looking very young and dejected Mina decided to take some action. She stood up and crossed quickly to him, before he realised what she was doing, she pulled him into her arms and kissed him fiercely. Tom didn't stay confused for very long before he kissed her back. Mina pulled herself out of his arms and crossed to the door.  
  
"That should have taken your mind off your troubles." she said then left the room. Tom was aware that his mouth was open as he stared after Mina, why after two years of trying to gain her interest had she kissed him now. Now he had something else to think about definately he just hoped that she'd offer to do it again.  
  
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Neds cabin ...  
  
Why had he volunteered to come back on this ship again? Last time he'd almost died getting off he just hoped the same didn't happen this time. Why had he done it? What had he got himself in far more to the point? It was only going to be for a short time though until he got his friend back as well as those other two people. It might not be that bad though, the ivisable chap who'd helped him to the ship looked as though he knew how to have a good time and failing that annoying Nemo was always good, Ned had been quite good at doing so on his last stay on the Nautilus. The other two didn't seem to fit in, one was very young and American and the other was a woman, Ned decided that he was going to have to find out what was going on.  
  
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Nemos room.  
  
'Zu my daughter please be alright. I have only just found you again and we have only just reached an understanding about our relationship please be alright. I don't want to have to bury a final child let alone the trouble it will cause to Henry. Please be alright my darling daughter I will find you somehow' Nemo paced his cabin restlessly when the door suddenly burst open and Skinner stumbled into the room.  
  
"I presume you have a reason for bursting into my room like this Mr Skinner." Nemo said in his most disaproing voice  
  
"The people who attacked Zu and the rest were from Australia." Skinner said breathlessly.  
  
"How did you work that out?" Nemo asked  
  
"The accents, they spoke english but with a strange accent. I was trying to work it out then remembered this guy I used to know when you could see me. He was from Australia and he spoke wierd english." Skinner explained. Nemo decided not to comment on Skinners own use of english.  
  
"I shall set a course for Australia and hope to find out missing friends." Nemo said before walking out the door to issue orders.  
  
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Minas room  
  
Why had she kissed him? Why had she kissed Tom? He was too young for her by a long way. She hadn't kissed anyone since Dorian and she was surprised that the feeling Tom's kiss had caused her to feel were different from Dorian. She was willing to bet that she'd taken his mind off his problems though, it was going to be interesting to see if he made any sort of move now that she had kissed him and if so what it was. Tom sawyer was an interesting problem for her as she had never worked out what exactly she thought about him but it was certainly different from how she thought about any of the other members of the league.  
  
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There you go bit 7. I am really having problems with this fic I'm not sure what to do with the characters as I like Zu, Henry and Skinner and I can't do a story with just Skinner, I need the others as well. I'll get this one finnished eventually if you lot could let me know what you think I would be grateful.  
  
I won't feed Henry to the sharks but remember there are all sorts of poisonous snakes and spiders in Australia so anything could happen to him if I leave him there for too long. So please give me some feedback so I can rescue him. 


	8. Death in Australia

I don't own any of the characters apart from Zu Jekyll though if any of them are up for sale let me know.  
  
I am really stuck with the ending of this so please let me know what should happen. Does anyone else want to see Zu die knowing that this will send Henry, Nemo and Skinner on a serious guilt trip?  
  
Anyway this is just a short chapter about Henry while I try and get the League to Australia.  
  
I need to add that I am not a doctor never have been and don't plan to ever be one either so don't moan at me if I get things wrong. I have never been shot so don't know what could arise from that.  
  
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Australia 5 days later ...  
  
Henry Jekyll sat on the edge of the thin bed, he had been pushed in their some days back now, he wasn't sure exactly how many days they'd been there. He wanted to see his wife though as he wasn't sure how serious the bullet wound was. If she'd been lucky it had missed all vital organs and gone straight through. If that was the case then there would only be blood loss and the possibility of infection to worry about. However if it had hit something then Zu could well be dying, he doubted that their captors would other fetching a doctor for her. If they were going to be killed here then Henry wished he was with his wife. He'd known her for 7 months, not a very long time yet she had done so much for him, he no longer had Edward Hyde in the back of his skull making comments about everything that Henry did. It was strange though that if Edward Hyde had still existed then Henry and Zu may have been out of trouble and at least Edward would have given him someone to talk to.  
  
Professor Aronax sat on a bed identical to the one Henry Jekyll was sitting on he had been hustled out of his house and taken somewhere else, he had no idea where he was and was scared. He wasn't suited for an exciting lifestyle, he never had been as far as he was concerned his adventure on the Nautilus several years ago was the only adventure he ever wanted. He wasn't a fighter unlike Ned he was a scholar and that was all he wanted. He hoped that the English gentleman and his wife were alright though as they would have been in no danger if they hadn't come to see him. There must have been something special about the girl other than the fact that she was Nemos daughter as most young women did not fight. They didn't in France anyway.  
  
Zu was in pain, her side was a searing fire. She had wanted Henry many times in the last 7 months but never so much as now when she wished he was there to tell her it would be alright and not to worry. Zu had no idea whether the bullet had hit any organs or not she hoped not. She didn't want to die, she was scared of dying alone. She was only 22 and in love, it wasn't fair that this should happen just after her marriage. Maybe she shouldn't have persuaded Henry to marry her before accepting the proposal of the League especailly now that she was badly hurt. She hoped she didn't die as if she did Henry would never forgive himself.  
  
The young guard didn't want to fulfill his orders but he had no choice, he opened the locked door and saw the young woman lying on the bed, her blouse was stainned on one side where she had bled before a bandage was wrapped round her.  
  
"What do you want?" she demanded some fire in her voice despite the fact that it sounded week  
  
"I have to take you away for now." the guard said.  
  
"Where?" the young woman asked  
  
"I am not able to say. Come with me please." the young woman climbed painfully to her feet and followed hinm out the room. She was led up several flights of stairs and past two guards on a metal door before being confronted with the vast Australian outback and the glaring sun.  
  
"Just get it over with." Zu said  
  
"I am sorry." the guard said before aiming the gun at her. Zu tried very hard to squash the icy sensation of fear in her gut at the sight of the gun aimed at her but didn't succed.  
  
The two guards on the door heard a shot ring out of the otherwise silent landscape and then a few minutes later the young guardsman walked back towards them.  
  
"She dead?"  
  
"Yeah. I left the body for the animals it'll make it more difficult to identify her should she ever be found." the young man said looking slightly sick.  
  
"Good go and report to our glorious leader. He'll be pleased with you."  
  
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Zu is dead ! Hope those of you who didn't like her and/or wanted her dead are pleased.   
  
I'm going to have all the fun of Henry and Nemo on a major angst trip to do still though.  
  
Please review and let me know what you think I'll try and get the next bit up ASAP.  
  
Naitriab  
  
juliahannah13@yahoo.co.uk 


	9. Decision time

I think that this is starting to come to an end now as I am running out of ideas how those people whose stories are 20+ chapters long cope I have no idea. I can do it with my own stories which are 100+ pages long but not these.  
  
I hope you are enjoying it I do have a new idea but I need feedback before I do so.  
  
As allways none of the characters are mine apart from Zu Jekyll who is now dead *sob*. However if they come up for sale let me know as I may yet buy them.  
  
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The Nautlus 2 days later ...  
  
"No offence Nemo but Australia is a big place, how do you 'ope to find Zu and Henry?" Skinner asked from his spot in a comfortable armchair.  
  
"I'm going to ask for any siteings of unusual activity in all the pubs someone is bound to have heard something." Nemo told the Londoner  
  
"So you think that asking a load of drunks where your only child is will let you find her quickly?" Ned asked from his position by the door  
  
"I don't think that it will be quick but we will find her." Nemo said glaring at the Canadian  
  
"Sorry for talking." Ned said sharing a grin with Skinner  
  
"Tom, if you and Ned take the first town as you are the most normal looking of the lot of us. I will pick up someone else in the next town who has promised to help us." Nemo said  
  
"What about Mina and me?" Skinner asked  
  
"If you would follow Tom and Ned to keep an eye on them I will keep Mina with me."Nemo decided.  
  
"Is it tonight you'll want us to go?" Tom asked  
  
"That would be helpful."  
  
"I'd best start getting ready then." Tom said and left the room.  
  
"I'll stop him from dressing too stupidly." Mina promised and followed Tom from the room. Ned left as well leaving Skinner and Nemo together  
  
"Do you think that Zu and Henry are still alive?" Skinner asked  
  
"I hope so. I could not stand to loose my final child." Nemo said  
  
"I can imagine what this will do to Henry though especially if she is dead. I don't think he'd be able to cope." Skinner said  
  
"I think that Henry Jekyll is stronger than we give him credit for, the strength that Edward Hyde exhibited had to come from somewhere." Nemo said thinking of his son-in-law.  
  
"I didn't know that 'e could fight but he did in Paris." Skinner mused  
  
"Any of us would react in that way when someone we love is in danger. It can drive us to do things we wouldn't normally." Nemo said thinking back on the ships he had sunk and lifes he had destroyed.  
  
"I wouldn't know about that would I?"Skinner asked  
  
"I don't know Skinner as you don't tell us about your life before here do you." Nemo said  
  
"It isn't anythin' that you want to know about trust me on that." Skinner said   
  
"If you ever need to talk just know that we are all here if you need us."  
  
"Thank you." Skinner said.  
  
"You'd best go wipe that stuff off your face if you are going with Tom and Ned." Nemo said  
  
"Yeah." Skinner said and left the room. As Nemo watched his leave he wondered not for the first time how old Skinner was, at times he seemed as old as Jekyll whereas at other times he reminded Nemo or Tom and Zu. He would eventually get round to asking him.  
  
Skinner hurried to his cabin to remove his coat and hat, he wiahed people wouldn't pry into his past he didn't want to remember it, he had been running from his past since he was 15. Ten years was a long time to run from anything let alone the past, his past was something that he'd have to face one day and when he did he hoped his friends would be there to help him. That would mean he had to trust them though and Skinner was not yet sure he wanted to do that. He squashed all memories of his past again and promised to deal with them later for now he had other things to worry about such as where his friends were. Nothing would stop him from finding them nothing.  
  
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Sorry this one took a while to get done but after the shocker in last chapter I had to think up something to do. As Skinner happens to be my favourite character I have left to play with I thought I'd deal with him for a bit. I will continue with the story in the next chapter but as to Skinners past that'll be handled in my next fic possibly.  
  
As for Zu she is dead and won't be back. I promise, as I run off the mirror shows fingers well and truely crossed behind my back.  
  
Keep reviewing. 


	10. Brisbane

This is starting to draw to a close now. I can make maybe 4 more chapters out of what I have left which does include a major Henry angst trip, should be fun. I warn you now it will only get worse.  
  
As usual I don't own any of the characters apart from the now deceased Zu Jekyll, if Skinner or Jekyll come up for sale for under £5 though I will buy them let me know if you see that kind of offer.  
  
Thank you for all review recieved so far, I'll do my usual and thank everyone in the last chapter. Also try my Lost World story and SG1 story as they aren't that bad honest.  
  
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Tom and Ned wandered into the pub while Skinner stayed outside. He had bad memories of this type of mission as last time his friends Zu and Henry had been captured, he wouldn't let the same thing happen to Tom and Ned especially as that would leave him alone on the ship with Mina and Nemo, one was a vampire and the other an occasional nutter, not exactly Skinners cup of tea.  
  
"I'll go and buy us a couple of drinks." Ned said  
  
"Are you sure that's a good idea, we need to find out information." Tom said unwilling to have anything to drink being a decided light weight when it came to alcohol consumption  
  
"It'll look starnge if we don't drink something." Ned pointed out.  
  
"Fine just don't get anything that will knock us out after one sip." Tom grumbled  
  
"Trust me." Ned said with a grin which didn't convince Tom of anything.  
  
"Great." Tom muttered then looked around the place. Having been in a few pubs in the past Tom couldn't see anything that made this one special. Ned joined him a few minutes later with two large pints of something in his hand.  
  
"Sit near the middle of the room. That way people can hear what we say." Ned suggested, Tom agreed with him and went to sit down carefully carrying his pint as he went.  
  
"I think that this is the kind of place where anything like that would be noticed don't you my friend." Ned said loudly draining most of his drink  
  
"errr yeah sure." Tom said taken off guard by Neds actions.  
  
"This ain't the kind of place that anyone could sneak through. Especially not if they are taking our friends with them." Ned said gesturing about him having finnished the rest of his pint.  
  
"I supose so." Tom said as took a reluctant sip of his drink while Ned went to get another. There were no people looking as though they had anything to add and Tom got the feeling that this was going to be a dead end.  
  
Skinner was very bored by the time that Tom and Ned staggered out of the pub, Tom looked as though he was more or less sober while Ned was definately not in the best condition imaginable.  
  
"No luck?" Skinner asked quietly  
  
"Nothing." Tom replied and started walking down the road back to the coast suporting Ned as he went. Skinner was laughing to himself at the thought of the major headache that the canadian would have the following morning. He didn't look as though he was in as bad a state as Skinner had been in at times, some of the drinking excesses that Skinner had subjected himself to were such that he wouldn't wish them on anybody.  
  
Mina was waiting for them at the harbour and sighed seeing the state of Ned.  
  
"Couldn't you have stopped him Tom?" she asked  
  
"I tried Mina but I was more worried about how much I was drinking." Tom said slightly embarresed  
  
"How much did you drink?" Mina demanded  
  
"Not much maybe two mouthfulls before I managed to accidentaly spill it over the floor." Tom said  
  
"Waste of good drink." Ned said loudly.  
  
"Lets get him back on board before he wakes up the entire of Brisbane." Skinner suggested.  
  
"I'll just signal to Nemo then we can be on our way." Mina said and produced a device from her pocket which she pressed. A few seconds later the Nautilus rose out of the sea slightly off shore. A boat was soon rowed across and after a slight struggle with Ned they were all in the boat. Nemos crewmen rowed the boat out to the ship and within a few minutes they were at the side of the ship. Mina climbed aboard followed by Tom while Skinner helped Ned to get his feet on the ladder. Ned waved his arms in the air and hit Skinner solidly on the side of the head. Skinner was completly unprepared for this and unbalanced falling into the water.  
  
"Skinner?" Tom called  
  
"I'm fine, wet but fine." Skinner replied surfacing from the water. For a minute Tom was able to see his friends face due to the water covering it. That only lasted for a minute before Skinner went invisable once more.  
  
"Skinner are you aware that we can see you when you have just been soaked?" Mina asked having noticed as well.  
  
"No." Skinner said starting to climb up the ladder.  
  
"Well that's interesting then isn't it." Skinner said sarcastically.  
  
"Yes it means that your invisability won't be an effective tool if it is raining too much." Mina said.  
  
"Well that makes me feel so much better." Skinner said annoyed.  
  
"Can you please climb up here please." Nemo said from the entrance Skinner did so still complaining under his breath.  
  
"There was no-one there who had heard of anything strange going on."Tom told Mina as Skinner reached the top of the ladder.  
  
"Great." She replied.  
  
"Nemo where are we going next?" Skinner asked.  
  
"Newcastle." Nemo said  
  
"Isn't that in England?" Tom asked  
  
"There is one here as well. We need to collect someone there as well."Nemo said before leading the group below deck.  
  
.......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................  
  
The following morning ...  
  
"Oh my head hurts." Ned moaned as he staggered into the dining room.  
  
"Did you have a bit much to drink last night?" a voice asked, Ned couldn't place them and looked up to see a young man with red hair standing over to one side.  
  
"Who are you?" Ned demanded.  
  
"This is our new recruit till we have found my daughter." Nemo said  
  
"John Roxton." The red head said.  
  
"Hello." Ned managed.  
  
"John has agreed to help us." Nemo told the others.  
  
"Welcome aboard John Roxton." Tom said.  
  
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If any of the place names are inacurat I'm having to go by an old atlas from the 60s so some of the places may have changed.  
  
New disclaimer  
  
John Roxton is the property of the the Conan Doyle estate.  
  
I have put him at 20 years old as this is a few years before the Lost World stories. I'm not sure why he is red head as most of the time he isn't. I imagine him as such so tough.  
  
The thing with Skinner being visable when soaked is from 'Hollow Man' which I watched recently so thought quite a cool idea for Skinner.  
  
Thank you for the reviews. Having now got all of my group together I will let the story carry on.  
  
Next bit up soon. 


	11. The use of John Roxton

I don't own any of the characters all of them are the properties of their respective authors. The only ones who aren't are those whose names you don't recognise.  
  
Thank you for any reviews I have/get I try and get back to everyone in some way whether by reviewing your fic or by e-mail. Bear with me for a short while longer as we are almost there. Not knowing Australia at all other than somewhere on the otherside of the world I'll apologise now for any mistakes.  
  
Due to me not wanting to describe them going into numerous pubs and Ned getting drunk I'm skipping ahead a couple of days when somethings has turnned up.  
  
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John Roxton came hurridly into the room with Tom just behind him,  
  
"We've found something." John told the group gathered in there.  
  
"Great now go and let me die in peace." Ned groaned as he was suffering from the worst hangover yet. The fact that Skinner kept making loud noises wasn't helping either.  
  
"What have you found?" Nemo asked  
  
"There are tracks leading out into the outback, there are no houses out there so it's got to be something else." Tom said eagerly  
  
"Are there many of them?" Mina asked  
  
"They were days old and almost gone. Our American friend here missed them completely." John said with a smile at Tom  
  
"Do you think you could follow them?" Skinner asked  
  
"I should be able to if we leave soon." John said honestly.  
  
"I'll go and give orders to my crew then we can go." Nemo said hurrying out the door  
  
"Do I have to?" Ned asked sitting up and staring around with bloodshot eyes.  
  
"Up you get Ned." Mina hissed sidling closer to him. Ned jumped up having seen what she was a few days earlier he had been nervous around her for some reason.  
  
"Yes marm." He said before hurrying down to his cabin to collect his harpoons and other weaponry he had collected from various parts of the ship. Mina didn't bother collecting anything as she was all the weapon that she needed. She noticed that Tom and John had also left to collect guns and ammo. All Skinner had done was to take off his glasses and coat and rub off the makeup that covered his face then he was ready for action.  
  
The League had done this type of thing many times before and were all ready to go in a matter of minutes. John was there as quickly as the others and a few minutes later Ned staggered up his hair soaking wet.  
  
"What did you do?" Skinner asked  
  
"Shoved my head in cold water so I should be completly sober." Ned said.  
  
"Did it work?" John asked  
  
"I don't know but we'll find out won't we." Ned replied.  
  
  
  
John and Tom led the group round the edge of the town so as to not attract as much attention as they would otherwise. Once on the far side John quickly found the tracks and led the way into the bush.  
  
"This may be a stupid question but why would someone who is trying to build Nautilus' live in the middle of an island rather than the edge of it?" Skinner asked  
  
"We can ask them when we find them." Nemo said  
  
"Can you all keep quiet please. I don't know where these tracks go and how far so I am sure that we want to have the element of surprise on ourside as much as possible." John said  
  
"Sorry" Skinner said giving the English man a guilty grin. Mina and the other members of the group couldn't help but be impressed with John's ability to follow an almost invisable trail and were fairly sure that if it had been left to them they would propably have missed it. John himself was relieved that he could follow it as Nemo had only given him the most basic details about the people he was with and he didn't want to embaress himself in front of them. It was several hours later when John suddenly stopped.  
  
"There are a lot of animal tracks here." John said  
  
"Can you still follow the original trail?" Nemo asked  
  
"Yes that's easy." John said  
  
"Where were the animals going?" Skinner wondered.  
  
"Go and have a look. It is an easy enough trail to follow." John said  
  
"Ok." Skinner said and followed the animal tracks. The rest of the group waited for him to come back. Mina sensed his return  
  
"What was it ?" Mina asked  
  
"I don't know for sure, if it were human there was nothing left to identify who it was. It certainly didn't look like any animal I've ever seen. There wasn't much left though."Skinner said from the tone of his voice Mina gathered that it hadn't been nice to look at.  
  
"We should press on to the base..." Tom said  
  
"I'll go first. We have a rise just ahead and if we want to sneak up on someone using the only member of our group who be invisable seems like a good idea." Skinner suggested  
  
"Go on but try not to walk on any tracks." John said  
  
"Watch out for water." Tom said with a grin. Skinner walked quickly up to the top of the rise and looked down. Just a short way past the edge of the ridge was a doorway cut into a rock out cropping, Skinner could also see that there were at least two guards on the door.  
  
"What is over there Skinner?" Tom asked having seen the dust rise from where Skinner was deliberately walking hard so they could see his arrive back.  
  
"There is a door with at least two guards on it. There is no cover so we can't sneak in. I'd suggest that we wait for darkness then Mina can go in in her bat form and deal with them before they raise the alarm."  
  
"Fine. But we move as soon as it gets dark." Nemo said  
  
The league moved back to the closest shade and sat waiting for the day to go. Mina and Nemo soon got fed up with the discussion of gun types that John and Tom were having. Skinner had fallen asleep and was breathing deeply out of the way of everyone.  
  
"Don't worry about Zu, I am sure she is fine." Mina said to Nemo  
  
"If anything ever happened to her I would never forgive myself." Nemo said  
  
"If anything has happened to her then it is not your fault. Zu wanted to help and this life was her choice. It is pointless to point blame where there is none." Mina said.  
  
"Thank you Mrs Harker. That is comforting." Nemo said.  
  
The rest of the day wore away and as night fell Mina changed into her bat self and flew to deal with the sentries. When the others joined her John looked wide eyed at the dead men on the ground and the woman who stood by them the faintest hint of blood on her lips. He suddered and looked past them into the interior.  
  
"Mina, you Skinner and John go to the left. I will take Ned and Tom and go to the right." Nemo said  
  
"Okay." Mina replied  
  
"We will find them don't worry" Skinner said  
  
"I worry for those stupid enough to get in my way. I shall end this tonight." Nemo said fiercely. Ned shuddred remembering the ships who had sunk with all hands while the captain of the Nautilus had looked on.  
  
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Next time ...  
  
Jekyll and Aronax are reunited with the league  
  
The enemy is revealed  
  
The fate of Zu Jekyll is revealed.  
  
Review please. 


	12. Attack on the base

I don't own any of the characters all of them are the properties of their respective authors. The only ones who aren't are those whose names you don't recognise.  
  
Thank you for any reviews I have/get I try and get back to everyone in some way whether by reviewing your fic or by e-mail. Bear with me for a short while longer as we are almost there. Not knowing Australia at all other than somewhere on the otherside of the world I'll apologise now for any mistakes.  
  
What do people think of Joh Roxton and Ned land in the group? I'd like to do some more fics about the group after this one as they are easy to write. I'd like to know what people think of my current league Mina, Nemo, Skinner, Ned, John Roxton and Tom. I have many more characters that I can use having been through every book I own and finding books set around the same time. Do you think that Ned should stay? I'm thinking that John should leave and only be brought back when he is needed as he needs to go and find dinosaurs at some point.  
  
Anyway I'll get on with the story now and try and get it finnished before I go home for Christmas which is about a week to go.  
  
Please review and let me know what you think of it so far. I will try and introduce the enemy in this part but am tempted to have him in the next story as I don't want this one to be too long.  
  
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Australia ...  
  
Mina and John walked almost silently down the corridor, Skinner was somewhere ahead of them scouting, John looked nervously at Mina from time to time as he couldn't equate the well manered chemist from the Nautilus with the quite frankly scary woman who had killed the two guards  
  
"You do not need to be nervous of me" Mina said quietly  
  
"I'm sorry but I am not used to women drinking blood." John said embarresed that she had caught him staring  
  
"I will not drink yours. I am in control of myself so only need to feed on an infrequent basis." Mina said.  
  
"We can't go any further this way. There's a locked door just ahead." Skinner said returnning.  
  
"Skinner you are a thief, can't you open it?" Mina asked sighing  
  
"I just wanted to check I was allowed to do so before I did anythin' as you are in charge of our section and all." Skinner said  
  
"Just do it ." Mina said sighing. Skinner chuckled and turnned to walk back the way he had come this time Mina and John went with him. The door was just a short way down the corridor and Mina and John prepared to wait while Skinner got the lock open.  
  
"Piece of cake." Skinner said scornfully a few minutes later as the door opened.  
  
"Go down first Skinner we will follow you." Mina said. The three of them set off down the dark stairway only Mina was able to see anything and that wasn't much.  
  
.......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................  
  
Elsewhere ...  
  
"Damn." Tom swore as they ran into yet another group of soldiers. This was maybe the fifth group they had found and it was getting very boring to deal with then especially as Tom had been told to not shoot them. Tom was sure that it wasn't going to do his riffle much good to be continuosly used to hit people with. Nemo and Ned weren't having this problem as one was quite content to either cut someone to pieces or to stick a harpoon through someone. Tom had decidedly changed his views about Ned Land as the man was deadly with his chosen weapon in his hand. One of the soldiers went over to one side and hit a button which set an alarm ringing throughout the base.l  
  
"Now you may shoot them, Mr Sawyer." Nemo said. Tom grinned and slung his riffle on his back before drawing his twin pistols and opening fire.  
  
.......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................  
  
Mina's group  
  
The alarm suddenly ringing made John jump. They had been walking in almost perfect silence since they had reached the bottom of the stairs and a loud bell suddenly ringing out was unexpected to say the least.   
  
"What have the other three done now?" Mina wondered out loud  
  
"Do you want us to go and find out?" Skinner asked  
  
"No we will continue with our job." Mina said desperately hoping that the others would be alright especially Tom.  
  
"There's another locked door ahead of us." Skinner reported.  
  
"Open it then and see if it is one of our friends." Mina said.  
  
"Righty ho." Skinner said with forced cheerfulness. He worked quickly and soon had this door opened as well  
  
"Let me go first." Mina said. She pushed the door open and walked quickly towards the figure curled up on the bed.  
  
"Who is it?" John asked not being familiar with any of the missing people.  
  
"Henry?" Mina asked, she was fairly certain that it was him due to his familiar feel but she wasn't sure. The figure raised their head slowly. Dr Jekyll's familiar features looked up at them from a face ravaged by grief. His dark brown hair was untidy and was in need of a wash, the skin was pulled tightly over his cheek bones and his red eyes were sunk back in his head. He looked terrible.  
  
"Henry are you alright?" Skinner asked   
  
"She's dead." Henry whispered his voice hoarse.  
  
"Who's dead ?" John asked.  
  
"Zu." Jekyll whispered before starting to sob once more.  
  
"Oh God no." Skinner said and judging from the dent that suddenly appeared on Henry's bed he had sat down.  
  
"I am sorry for appearing heartless but how do you know?" Mina asked. Henry reached inside his clothes and produced a silver band with a blood stainned jewel on it.  
  
"Her engagement ring." Skinner said recognising it from when Henry and Zu had announced their engagement just a few weeks earlier.  
  
"That doesn't mean she is dead." Mina said gently.  
  
"They had no reason to lie. I couldn't tell them what they wanted and I was never going to." Henry said grasping desperately for self control.  
  
"What did they want?" John asked  
  
"They wanted me to give them the means to make more of my formulae. Will I never be clear of that blasted thing?" Jekyll said slwoly starting to uncurl from the ball he had been in.  
  
"Come we need to get moving. We need to find Zu and Aronax." Mina said deciding that keeping Jekyll busy was the best way to deal with his melancholy. She hoped that Zu was alive as despite significant advances being made Henry was still emotionally unstable and the death of his wife could well plunge him over the edge.  
  
"Let us just hope they are alive." John muttered low enough that only Mina heard him  
  
.......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................  
  
Tom burst through a door closely followed by Ned with Nemo bringing up the rear.  
  
"Do all your rescue attempts go as well as this?" Ned inquired while examining a graze on his left arm where a bullet had clipped him.  
  
"None of our plans ever work that well." Tom replied. He was reloading his guns while he had a chance to as he was getting low on bullets.  
  
"They do." Nemo protested running through the various escapades that the league had been involved in through his head  
  
"Since when?" Tom demanded.  
  
"I don't think that now is a good idea for you to be having this talk." Ned said looking round. They were in an office with no obvious way out. They were trapped.  
  
"Damn." Tom swore   
  
"Tom Sawyer, Captain Nemo, Ned Land if you come out now I promise that I will not kill you." a voice called from outside  
  
"Why should we trust you?" Nemo demanded   
  
"You can either stay there and die or come out and some of you may live."  
  
"What do we do?" Ned asked  
  
"We're going to have to go out." Nemo said after exchanging a look with Tom.   
  
Nemo led the two younger men out of the office they were in to find that they were surrounded by soldiers  
  
"It is nice that you have decided to be reasonable. many people like yourself find themselves getting ideas about death and glory charges which is remarkably stupid considering that they are surrounded by people with significantly better weaponry than they wield." A man said stepping forward. He was in his early fifties with the tidiness of dress and appearance that was usually found among the upper class in particular those who had spent some time in the army.  
  
"May I have your name sir?" Nemo inquired  
  
"Certainly I am Colonel Moran. You may have heard of me."  
  
"I have." Tom said " You were sent to Australia a few years back after attempting to kill Sherlock Holmes, you were one of Moriartys gang then I believe. You were supposed to be hung but someone pulled a few strings and you were just deported."  
  
"Quite correct. What a clever American you seem to have found. Quite surprising considering that it is rare for one of them to have an original idea" Moran said (BEFORE ANYONE SHOUTS AT ME THIS IS NOT MY VIEW !!!)  
  
"Why did you kidnap my daughter and her husband ?" Nemo demanded  
  
"The black haired girl was your daughter?" Moran said seemingly surprised  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Then you will be upset to hear that I had her put to death somedays back. She was injured in Paris and as such was a nusance. Jekyll was not going to tell us anything so we had no further use for her." Moran said   
  
"Dead?" Nemo couldn't believe it. She couldn't be dead. Moran was lying Zu was around somewhere and it was just a matter of time before she'd be there launching herself into a fight without thinking of the consequences.  
  
"Yes. She was on her knees begging for my men not to kill her." Moran said with a smile seeing the pain he was inflicting on the previously emotionless Indian.  
  
"Now that is a lie. Zu would never beg for anything in her life. She would kick your ass if she heard you say that." Tom said his american accent becoming more pronounced as he became angry..  
  
"You cannot be sure of that can you?" Moran said pleased at the amount of pain he was inflicting on two of the men standing in front of him  
  
"I can be. I know my daughter and she would never beg. She never has done and never will." Nemo said  
  
"Keep believing that I'm sure the belief will help you." Moran said "Now where are the rest of your friends let's get you all together so that I do not have to explain things quite so many times."  
  
.......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................  
  
Elsewhere ...  
  
"There ain't anyone in here" Skinner said having looked round the locked door to find a room identical to the one they had taken Jekyll from.  
  
"I can smell blood in here. Not recent but from within the last week or so." Mina said  
  
"Does that mean you want to have a look in there?" Skinner asked  
  
"Yes so move." Mina almost growled.  
  
"Sheesh you don't have to get so grumpy." Skinner moaned as he got out of her way.  
  
"Do what you are told then." Mina replied as she crossed to the bed. Skinner decided to follow her into the room and with John and Henry behind him followed the vampire further into the room.  
  
"Is it bad?" Henry asked his voice almost back to normal now. Skinner was proud of the doctor as he had pushed all his emotions and worries deep down and was trying to be helpful rather than a dependant.  
  
"Part of the bed has blood on it. There is not a lot but it looks as though someone was bleeding quite badly and it leaked through a bandage." Mina said not wanting to tell the doctor that she thought it was Zu's blood.   
  
"The person must have been bleeding quite severely for this amount to have leaked through." Henry commented before he realised what he had said and who had been hurt.  
  
"We'll find her, don't worry Henry." Skinner said placing a hand on his friends shoulder.  
  
"If what I've heard about your wife is true then I am sure that she'll be fine." John told Dr Jekyll who gave him a rather watery grin in responce.  
  
"Mina Harker, Rodney Skinner, John Roxton and Henry Jekyll, I have your friends captive and unless you wish to see any more of your little group killed I would suggest that you return to the entrance to this compound where I will be waiting for you. If you think that you can get away then I must inform you that you have half an hour to get here before I kill the American." A voice said  
  
"Where did that come from ?" Skinner demanded  
  
"Those black boxes on the wall that we have been seeing all the way along." Mina said  
  
"Well what do we do?" John asked  
  
.......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................  
  
A few more bits to go then I'll finish this one. I'll try and put up the third part of the series up when I get home.  
  
Apologies to any americans who may have been insulted by what I said they are not my views.  
  
Colonel Moran is from 'The Empty House' by Arthur Conan Doyle which I would suggest you read if you want more of a background than Tom gave.  
  
Please review and let me know what you think. 


	13. Unwanted truths

This is the last bit for now let me know what you think then I might start the sequal when I get home.  
  
Thank you to everyone who has reviewed and anyone who has read this and not bothered to review this one. If you don't review mine then I can't review yours can I ?  
  
We will be getting into serious angst soon so be warnned.  
  
Just a quick thank you to my brother who has been helping me with ideas over what to do with Zu as you lot were decidedly unhelpful with whether to kill her or not.  
  
I have had one person who seems quite keen to see Ned Land stay what do the rest of you think?  
  
Warning this section contains mention of torture and child abuse  
  
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"Well what do we do?" John asked.  
  
"We will have to go back up there, we can not leave our friends in the hands of whoever owns this base." Mina said  
  
"His name is Colonel Sebastian Moran. If he has our friends then they are in trouble." Jekyll said.  
  
"How do you know who is in charge here?" Skinner asked keeping all trace of emotion out of his voice at the mention of Moran.  
  
"He came to see me several times, he tried everything he could think of to get me to tell him how I had made the potion that turnned me into Hyde." Jekyll said lifting the edge of his shirt to show them cuts on his stomach.  
  
"Don't those hurt?" Skinner asked  
  
"He did other things that hurt much worse." Jekyll said   
  
"Why did you not tell him?" John asked  
  
"I have faced someone else turnned into a monster because of my potion before, he was almost impossible to beat, I didn't want to see that again." Jeyll said shuddering at the memory slightly. "It was because of that that he killed my wife." Mina looked sharply at the doctor after he said that, his voice was completely flat, there was no life in it or in his eyes.  
  
"Do not think about it. Let us get to our friends and find out what our 'friends' want." Mina said trying to distract him she was rewarded by a spark of life coming into his eyes.  
  
"We need to come up with some sort of plan." Jekyll said.  
  
"We can think while we walk." Mina said concious of the fact that time was wasting while they stood there talking and that was time that Tom didn't have.  
  
"Lets get going then" Skinner said. Mina led the way out the room while Skinner brought up the rear, he knew of Moran alright, he more than knew of him he remembered him. He was one of the things that Skinner had been trying to run from for ten years without all that much sucess.  
  
*****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************Flashback.  
  
A 11 year old boy dodged out of the way of another fist aimed at him, his unruly black hair streamed out behind him as he tried to make it to the door. He was grabbed by the hair and yanked back. Rodney tried very hard to avoid crying out as that would only earn him more punnishment.  
  
"How could you be stupid enough to be followed back here?" The man who wasn't holding his hair demanded  
  
"I didn't realise that there was anybody behind me." Rodney managed to stammer out.  
  
"We now have a body that we need to get rid of thanks to you." the man holding his hair growled.  
  
" I said I was sorry didn't I" Rodney said bracing himself for the backhand he got across his face. He wasn't disapointed he tenderly pressed a tooth with his tounge, it was definately loose.  
  
"You'll be more than sorry by the time we've finnished with you." one of the men said.  
  
*****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************  
  
"Are you alright Skinner?" Jekyll asked having sensed something was wrong with his friend  
  
"Yeah of course mate" Skinner said sounding cheerful.  
  
"Don't lie to me Skinner, I can tell when people lie to me." Jekyll said concerned about his friend.  
  
"There's nothin' wrong with me Jekyll!" Skinner snapped  
  
"Sorry." Jekyll said taking a step away from his friend and with drawing into himself  
  
"Henry..." Skinner said reaching out to his friend  
  
"Don't say anything it was my fault." Henry said and hurried to catch up with Mina. Skinner stared after him, he shouldn't have lashed out at Henry, he just didn't want anyone to find out what was wrong yet as they didn't need to know about his old employers.  
  
.......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................  
  
Elsewhere 25 minutes later ...  
  
Tom, Ned and Nemo had been dragged to the surface by Moran and the soldiers and were waiting for the rest of the league to arrive.  
  
"Obviously your friends do not rate you as highly as I thought they did." Moran said gesturing to his soldiers to take Tom away from the others.  
  
"I do not blame them, they realise that the group is more important than the individual." Tom said trying to put a brave face on the fact that he was about to die. He had no idea that his thoughts were very similar to those of Zu Jekyll when she had faced her death several days earlier.  
  
"Noble sentiments." Moran said producing one of Tom's own guns and siming at his head. One thing that Tom remembered was that Moran was suposed to be a crack shot and wouldn't want to bet on the fact that he wasn't anymore. As soon as that thought had gone through his head Tom could feel the cold grip of fear getting a hold of him.  
  
'Please don't kill me' he thought as the gun was leveled at his head.  
  
"The half an hour you gave the rest of our group is not yet up." Nemo pointed out.  
  
"Your point is? I do not need the American for any reason he has no scientific value, as far as I can tell all the use he is is as a good shot and I am sure that there are more out there than one very young American." Moran said. Tom felt the english mans words sink into his brain as Moran disabused any notion he had that he was of value to the league. Moran levelled the gun at Tom again. Tom closed his eyes, he hadn't wanted to appear afraid but there was nothing he could do about it. He didn't want to die. Tom heard the gun shot and hit the ground wondering why he didn't feel any pain. There was a weight on his chest but that was it. He opened his eyes slowly to see Mina half kneeling on him glaring at Moran. Beyond her were John Roxton with his weapons leveled at Moran and someone who looked suspiciously like Edward Hyde.  
  
"It is not a good idea to threaten us Colonel Moran as we are all willing to lay our lives on the line for each other." Mina hissed. Moran unwisely took a step forward.  
  
"Watch out for him luv as he has a mean left hook." Skinner called out from somewhere. Mina climbed off Tom and approached Moran while an invisable hand hauled Tom to his feet.  
  
.......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................  
  
A few minutes earlier ...  
  
"Are you sure that you can get there in time Mina?" John asked  
  
"I am certain that I can." Mina replied mentally working out the distance and speed in her head. Jekyll leaned against the wall knowing what he was going to try was a bad idea but not having any other choice.  
  
"Are you sure about this Henry?" Skinner asked  
  
"I am not going to be any use otherwise am I?" Henry said. He was only half paying attention to what was being said as he searched in his head for the familiar pressance of Edward Hyde. Not finding it he concentrated on the change that needed to be made. He felt himself slowly starting to change as his muscles expanded and he grew taller. The difference this time was that as he changed his shape he did not feel the presence of Edward taking over. In fact when he stood in the all to familiar shape of Edward Hyde he still thought and was Henry Jekyll.  
  
"Edward?" Skinner ventured. Henry looked for his friend and was surprised to be able to see him, he could see badly healed scars on the younger man as well as the worried look on his face.  
  
"I am still Henry." he replied.  
  
"How is that possible?" Skinner asked ignoring John Roxton who was staring at the Dr unwilling to believe his eyes.  
  
"We need to move now." Mina said abruptly and almost flew forward to knock Tom out of the way of Moran's shot. Henry and John stood together in the doorway and looked at the soldiers.  
  
"Mrs Harker I presume. You were almost too late." Moran said  
  
"I wasn't though was I?" she hissed her eyes starting to change to a deep red colour.  
  
"Mina could you restrain from killing him until he answers our questions." Nemo said as Mina grabbed the english man.  
  
"Certainly." she replied  
  
"Where are the plans to the Nautlius?" Nemo demanded.  
  
"I sent them away several days ago." Moran said deciding that answering a few questions might not be such a bad thing especially while the vampire was looking at him in such a hungry fashion.  
  
"Where is Professor Aronax?" Ned asked  
  
"With the plans."  
  
"Where did you send them?" Nemo asked  
  
"Somewhere where you will never find them." Moran said  
  
"Where is my wife?" Henry asked taking a few steps forward. He noticed that the soldiers near by took a few steps back looking at him nervously.  
  
"she is dead." Moran said carelessly. At that point Nemo, Henry and Skinner had to believe him the man was about to be killed and had no reason to lie to them. Henry's face contorted in a snarl and he charged towards Moran. Mina was tempted for a few seconds to leave Moran to the Doctor but realising that Henry would never forgive himself she quickly broke the mans neck. Henry stopped and looked at Mina angrily before the anger darined out of him and he knelt on the floor crying changing shape as he did so.  
  
"You can leave now." Nemo said to the soldiers. "Or we can kill you." The soldiers wisely decided to leave.  
  
Skinner looked down at the body of the man who had traumatised him so as a child and who had haunted his nightmares even now and was relieved that he was dead. He crossed to his friends side where he knelt on the ground and laid a hand on his shoulder offering comfort in the only way he knew how.   
  
Nemo looked down at the man who had killed his only child and felt a familiar emptiness swell up inside him. He wasn't going to cry though not in front of the others. he would wait until he was back on the ship before he showed any emotion.  
  
Henry couldn't believe that she was dead. Zu had been his salvation and reason for living now he had nothing to hang on for, nothing. He knew what he was going to do though, he couldn't abandon his friends yet while they still had something to do. He didn't know what he was going to do though without Zu.  
  
Mina and Tom looked at Henry and Nemo knowing how this was going to affect both of them. Mina glanced at Tom to find him staring at her,  
  
"Is there something wrong Agent Sawyer?" she asked  
  
"I just wanted to say thank you for saving my life." Tom said  
  
"Any time." she said with a smile.  
  
Ned saw how the group had drawn together instinctively leaving him and John out. He knew that the dead girl had meant a lot to them and Ned could feel genuine sympathy for her death. He hoped that they were going to help him find Aronax as he wouldn't be able to do it alone.  
  
"If you are worried about your friend I'll be gald to help you." John said  
  
"Thank you." Ned said.  
  
"We need to get back to the ship." John said quietly  
  
"Give them time then we will." Ned said. The two outsiders watched the league grieve for a woman who now gave all of them a common goal. Revenge.  
  
Not that far away one of the soldiers was standing by what was left of the young woman he had been ordered to kill. There was not much left now just a collection of bones. He had seen how the news of her death had affected the group by the base and decided that something had to be done about the remains. He dug a small hole in the ground with the spade he had secreted out of the base for that purpose several days earlier and placed what bones he could find in there before filling the hole in again. It wasn't much of a grave but it was a better than nothing. Throwing the spade away he left the garve site missing the small gold ring half hidden under a plant. There were a few words carved on it.  
  
Zu and Henry forever.  
  
.......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................  
  
There you go. That is it. What did you think ?  
  
I might do a final part of the series is I get enough reviews and feedback letting me know what people think.  
  
Would anybody be interested in a background story about Skinner ?  
  
What do you think about the fact that Henry can now change into the shape of Edward Hyde yet still remain himself ?  
  
Please let me know and I might do a third part.  
  
Thank you to the following authors : Clez, A. L. Nowiki, remoteleigh, korusuna, Lilly, MJ, ScifiiRogue, Ariadiliel, Quinta,   
  
Naitriab  
  
juliahannah13@yahoo.co.uk 


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